Contributing to the growing discourse on political parties in Asia, this book looks at parties in Southeast Asia’s most competitive electoral democracies of Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. It highlights the diverse dynamics of party politics in the region and provides new insights into organizational structures, mobilizational strategies and the multiple dimensions of linkages between political parties and their voters. The book focuses on the prominence of clientelistic practices and strategies, both within parties as well as between parties and their voters. It demonstrates that clientelism is extremely versatile and can take many forms, ranging from traditional, personalized relationships between a patron and a client to the modern reincarnations of broker-driven network clientelism that is often based on more anonymous relations. The book also discusses how contemporary political parties often combine clientelistic practices with more formal patterns of organization and communication, thus raising questions about neat analytical dichotomies. Straddling the intersection between political science and area studies, this book is of interest to students and scholars of contemporary Southeast Asian politics, and political scientists and Asian Studies specialists with a broader research interest in comparative democratization studies.

This textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to the political systems of all ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste from a comparative perspective. It investigates the political institutions, actors and processes in eleven states, covering democracies as well as autocratic regimes. Each country study includes an analysis of the current system of governance, the party and electoral system, and an assessment of the state, its legal system and administrative bodies. Students of political science and regional studies will also learn about processes of democratic transition and autocratic persistence, as well as how civil society and the media influence the political culture in each country.

This volume examines the countries in Southeast Asia that have conducted multi-party elections.

Southeast Asia is an economic power house of sorts with fledgling and often volatile political systems. Political parties and their leaders make decisions on behalf of more than 600 million people with a far reaching impact also on other parts of the world. This is why understanding the driving forces in and behind Southeast Asia's political parties is important. This book provides a fresh look into organization and internal mechanisms of the main political parties in eight of the ten ASEAN countries, how they function on the ground, how they hold together, and how their leadership systems work. Internal competition and candidate selection, campaign strategies and party finances, money politics and career opportunities are a special focus in the eight country chapters. While showing the difference between classical party models and the reality on the ground in Southeast Asia, the book provides broad information on party politics in the region, adding a practical view to the vast and often rather theory-loaded scholarly literature. It intends to reach out to party members and activists, journalists and other political observers, and to anybody interested in Southeast Asian politics. Contributors: Cambodia: Pan Sopheap, Yang Saing Koma, Kok Tha, Virak Bunnarath, Phnom Penh Indonesia: Rainer Heufers, Warsito Ellwein, Vera J. Putri, M. Husni Thamrin, FNF Jakarta Malaysia: Dr. Kartini Aboo Talib@Khalid, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Myanmar: Zaw Oo, Yangon, Moe Thuzar, ISEAS, Singapore Philippines: Joy Aceron, School of Government at Ateneo de Manila University Singapore: Ass.Prof. Dr.Netina Tan, McMaster University, Canada Thailand: Dr. Pimrapaat Dusadeeisariyakul, FNF Bangkok Vietnam: Kim Le, NUS, Singapore Dr. Wolfgang Sachsenroder (ed.), ISEAS. Singapore

The countries of Southeast Asia continue to change, evolve and chart courses that sometimes leave outside observers puzzled. Politics in Contemporary Southeast Asia thoroughly assesses the political challenges and changes faced by the countries of Southeast Asia in the 21st century. Focusing on political processes throughout, Kingsbury introduces readers to the challenges of representation and accountability of the regional governments, degrees of good governance and transparency, and the role of elites and militaries in shaping or determining political outcomes. This book provides: A comprehensive, but accessible, introduction to political change and processes in Southeast Asia. Analytic criteria for assessment of case studies. Detailed country-specific surveys. Information based on extensive research on, and work in, the region. Providing cutting-edge coverage of Southeast Asian politics in all regions, this highly accessible and comprehensive book is suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate courses on Southeast Asian Studies, Asian Politics, and Democratization.

First published in 1998, this is the second of two volumes which will be of great value to scholars and students of politics in East and Southeast Asia. A rich, readable reference tool, they offer extensive surveys of the history, structure, culture, legal context, and financing, as well as the progress, travails, and prospects, of political parties and electoral systems in 13 countries. The excellent introduction and the detailed country case studies demonstrate the wide range of political experiences in Asia. Rather than affirm the thesis of a common set of "Asian values" hostile to democracy, they show that in much of East and Southeast Asia, people want the political choice and accountability that come from free and fair electoral competition with open, effective political parties.

In this substantial and referenced study, nine leading scholars present from inside the history, society, geography, economy and governmental institutions of each of the 10 ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam).